


Alexander Lightwood: Gay Icon

by sanhascroissant



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood-centric, Alec is a GAY ICON, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Parent Maryse Lightwood, F/F, Homophobia, M/M, Mortal Alec Lightwood, Social Issues, Social Justice, Social Media, The Clave (Shadowhunter Chronicles), The Clave is super homophobic lmao, gay icon alec lightwood!!!, honestly such a soft concept???? gay icon alec lightwood, the kids love alec for being himself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 13:11:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13214454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanhascroissant/pseuds/sanhascroissant
Summary: Jaime Whitelaw used to have no clue who Alexander Lightwood was. But now he's more than aware, thank you very much. Everyone knows who Alec Lightwood is.(Or: Alec is a super relevant gay icon and inspiration to basically the entire shadowhunter world and refuses to give in to the clave's blatant homophobia)





	Alexander Lightwood: Gay Icon

**Author's Note:**

> Hey!  
> So I wrote this post on my tumblr about Alec being a Gay Icon for the Shadowhunter world, and it's literally my most popular post ever (which isn't saying much) but I couldn't get it out of my head, so I thought I'd write a short drabble for it, but whoops this is 5,000 words. Oh well  
> I hope you enjoy Alec being a great role model and the icon he deserves to be as much as I do. It's super Alec-centric over malec centric but still a blast if you ask me! Also!! This story does NOT feature immortal husbands. If you don't like that, please don't read !  
> enjoy!  
> -robin

When Jaime Whitelaw was assigned on mission to the New York Institute, it was the best day of his adult life, and not necessarily for a reason he was proud of. It was because of his idolization of the Institute’s infamous head, none other than the elusive Alec Lightwood.

Alec Lightwood was, indisputably, the most well-known Shadowhunter alive. To be ignorant to Alec’s existence would be saying you didn’t know what a Shax demon was, or that you had no idea Seelies were real. In short, it would be absurd.

He’d always been well known. His parents, Robert and Maryse Lightwood, were infamous for their own reasons. Once an old and powerful Shadowhunter family with extensive ties to the Clave, the Lightwood name had fallen into ruin during the time of Valentine when Maryse and Robert had been prominent members of the Circle.

Alec Lightwood grew up in the shadow of his own name, yet nothing much had been known about him. His sister was always in the Idris gossip mills for her sketchy relationships with Downworlders and the scandalous clothes she wore. His adoptive brother, Jace Herondale, had been a constant source of reckless bad boy hookup stories and thrilling rule breaking tales. But Alexander? No one knew much about him, other than his talent with the bow.

He was the perfect son, the rule follower. The most exciting thing that ever happened with him was his engagement to Lydia Branwell, and no one had really thought much of it. It made perfect sense that the rule abiding, law obsessed Lightwood boy would marry a sensible, strong woman from the Clave. It had not even crossed their minds that Alec was anything less than pleased.  

On the day of the wedding, Alexander Lightwood truly became famous.

In a manipulative political move, nearly every prominent Clave member was in attendance to make sure that a Lightwood actually did their duty. Dozens of bored or even just curious Shadowhunters from families with relationships to the Lightwoods lined the walls and sat in the seats. As a Whitelaw, Jaime was there to represent his family. His father and a few of his uncles were there too, along with his cousin, who looked desperate to get out of her dress.

The ceremony began without incident. Looking back on it now, Jaime had seen no love for Lydia in Alec’s eyes that day, only resolution, strength. It was as though he was out hunting rather than getting married.

For him it had only been another mission.

Lydia’s stele was perched just above Alec’s skin, so close to burning their marriage rune into his hand forever, when the door banged open, and hell broke loose.

Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn strode into the room and stood directly in the aisle, his hair coiffed and eyes glittering, a silk shirt and long coat only adding to the drama of the entire situation. Every eye in the room was fixed on him. He said nothing, his eyes on Alec, a challenge. The crowd began to whisper.

Maryse got up from her chair and walked with barely contained fury towards Magnus.

 “Magnus –“

He held up a hand, nails painted black, and barley gave her a glance. “Maryse, this is between your son and I. If he asks me to leave, I will.” He did not move.

“I can’t breathe.” Alec’s voice was louder than he probably meant it to be, but he was only speaking to Lydia, his eyes wide and desperate, her hands on his shoulders. She whispered something back to him, and he seemed to relax. They smiled at each other, and Lydia let him go.

Alec Lightwood turned, straightened his jacket, and descended from the altar. He passed his brother and sister, he passed his friends. As he passed his mother, she tried tried to grab his jacket.

“Enough.”

 His voice echoed through the chamber and everyone sat up a little straighter, their eyes fixed on the scene unfolding in front of them. Alec walked straight up to Magnus, grabbed his coat lapels, and kissed the hell out of him in front of literally hundreds of shocked Shadowhunters, Clave envoys, and even a few Downworlders.

And that was the day the Shadow World imploded.

For months, that was all anyone could talk about. The Lightwood boy, gay. Who would have thought? Who could even believe it, honestly? But the rumors from New York only continued to confirm that Alec Lightwood, prominent member of Shadowhunter society, was in a committed and loving relationship with the High Warlock of Brooklyn, a Downworlder and a _man_. It was then that the true rumors began to circulate.

He was gay because of his mother’s strict and repressive attitude, and Alec had been forced to become his own motherly figure, leading (somehow) to his taste in men.

He was gay because that weird Wayland kid had abused him as a child. After all, he was Valentine’s son (or so they’d believed at the time. The joke would be on them when later, he was confirmed to be a Herondale.)

He was gay because the warlock was bewitching him, and Downworlders aren’t to be trusted, and because he was clearly not in control of himself right now, Alec wasn’t to be trusted either.

He was gay because of his sister’s influence in his life, and his relationship with her manifested into wanting to be more like her, which meant liking boys. A lot.

He was betraying his own kind for dating a Downworlder and not carrying on his own race.

He was gay because his parents raised him wrong. After all, they were ex-circle members, who knows if they were still doing sick things for Valentine?

He was playing gay to get attention, since his siblings had always overshadowed him and his parents had not paid much attention to him as a child.

But eventually the Clave was mostly in agreement – Alexander Lightwood had, in failing to marry Lydia Branwell as promised, betrayed his duty and was therefore not to be trusted. In other words, being gay was not okay, and had never been okay in Shadowhunter society.

Jaime knows that the Shadow World does not wish to acknowledge it, but in many ways Mundanes are much more progressive than their angelic cousins.

\----------

Alec’s fame died down. People stopped talking about it for a while, but the Clave still did not trust him, and the revelation that there was a Herondale at the New York Institute, and there had been all along, gave them all comfort. The Herondale boy was of good blood. He could be trusted.

Then the news reached Idris: Jace Herondale’s first order of business upon becoming Head of the Institute? Make _Alec Lightwood_ the Head of the Institute.

The Clave was furious, but to question Jace’s judgement would be to question the Inquisitor’s judgement in making him the Head. So in trying to keep to their traditions and prevent Alec from gaining traction, they were ironically unable to slow his traction if they _didn’t_ break tradition.

The Downworld found it hilarious, and Alec began to gain popularity amongst them, more than any Shadowhunter in living memory, both for dating Magnus despite the consequences and for his actions as the Institute’s Head.

The Clave was not pleased when news reached Idris of the New York Shadow World Council, a monthly meeting between the Nephilim, Vampires, Werewolves, Seelies, and Warlocks. Yet they were certain these councils would fail, and finally, Alec’s power would come to an end. Why would Alec Lightwood succeed where generations of more talented, better bred Shadowhunters had failed, especially where the Seelie Queen was involved? She would never trust him.

But somehow, she did. All Seelies seemed to respect him with a reverence that the Clave had seen reserved only for the Seelie Queen. A team was sent to the court on a top secret mission to investigate why the Queen would ever trust Alec Lightwood, of all people. And by a “top secret mission”, Jaime meant “a mission that everyone and their grandmother knew about.”

The Seelie Queen did not answer them then. Instead, she took it upon herself to get invited to a Clave meeting and tell them there.

Jaime studied her, sitting across the table from him, her skin soft and childlike but her eyes aged and cold, carrying the wisdom and pain of centuries.

“My Lady,” Imogen respectfully bowed her head. “We are honored you are here with us today.”

The Seelie Queen smiled ever so slightly, tilting her head to the side just an inch. “Just because we Seelies cannot lie does not mean we cannot recognize a lie when we see one, Madame Inquisitor,” she said simply, the feathers on her headdress swaying slightly in a nonexistent breeze. “But it does not matter. We are here to discuss the Lightwood boy. Ask your questions, and I will answer the only way I can: With honesty.”

The disbelief and disgust was tangible in the air. A Downworlder, a Seelie, no less, not only in Idris but with the audacity to accuse the Clave of lying? How dare she? But all of these thoughts were swallowed back, because insulting the Seelie Queen is a dangerous endeavor. The expressions on the Shadowhunters around the table were mostly ones of distaste, pinched as though they had swallowed bugs or lemon juice or something to that effect. The others looked curious, intrigued. Perhaps even inspired. They wanted to know what Alec had done to earn her trust, whether out of genuine interest or to try and prove his guilt in some kind of betrayal.

Imogen shuffled the papers in front of her, pushing them all into place so they were perfectly lined up with one another before placing them back down on the table and folding her hands under her chin. “My Lady, when did you first make contact with Alexander Lightwood?”

The Seelie Queen smiled. “It was a lovely day, you know,” She said. “But it wasn’t Alexander himself that came first. It was that nasty redhead and that meddling grandson of yours. But they did bring the Daylighter, so at least I had some friends,” She pouted. “Simon is so very lovely.” She clearly was enjoying making the Clave wait for the full story.

“Anyway,” She said with a sigh, “They killed some of my subjects, so I used my vines. And Clarissa, the fool, kissed her own kind, as per usual with you Shadowhunters. The Daylighter was heartbroken.”

The Clave was startled. More Nephilim-Downworlder relations? How did they not know? How did it get so out of hand like this?

 “I decided I wanted nothing to do with them, and sent them away. Of course, then Alexander found out about the Soul Sword.” The entire Clave paled. The Seelie Queen laughed, and it tinkled off the walls like soft bells, echoing through the meeting room and dragging cold fingers along Jaime’s skin. “The Nephilim, always the same. He did not know what to do. You are already angry with him, and he feared the reaction of the Downworld. He kept it close to his chest. But then Lucian Greymark received a fire message from his captive sister, Cleophius. And it’s funny, because she said that Valentine and Jonathan had the Soul Sword, _not_ the Clave.” The Seelie Queen’s eyes were narrowed to dangerous slits.  “But surely, you already know all about that, don’t you?” Her question echoed, accusing each of them, and Jaime felt a deep pang of guilt.

“Well, Lucian told Magnus, and Magnus told me, and then Magnus confronted Alec and then they had a bit of a domestic, or so I’ve heard. But that doesn’t matter. I was planning an Uprising.” She leaned back in her chair and several guards sprang to their feet, seraph blades at her throat, the entire body of the Clave tense. She snuffled, a childish snort. “Shadowhunters really are stupid,” She scoffed. “ _Was_ is past tense.” Nevertheless, their blades didn’t move. She shrugged, unbothered.

“I offered Lucian and Magnus join me. Lucian refused. Magnus was going to refuse as well, but I then proposed that he could be biased. I gave him a length of time to make a decision, and I left him to it.”

“And a day or so after that is when I met Alexander Lightwood.” The entire Clave breathed out. Finally, they would get an answer. Why this trust? Why did she stick with the Council?

“As I’m sure you know, the youngest Lightwood survived an attack by Jonathan Morgenstern after he discovered his identity. Shortly after his recovery, the Herondale boy and Fairchild girl told Alexander the news of what had happened in my court, and Lucian had provided the news of a possible Uprising. And Alexander was not pleased. So he and his parabatai came to my court, and Magnus came at nearly the same time to give an answer. A wonderful coincidence for my cause. Magnus refused my offer. And at that perfectly timed moment, Alexander and the blond one came in.”

“The blonde one has a name. He is a Herondale!” Imogen interjected. The Seelie Queen levelled her with a glare so cold it could probably freeze the ice caps and stop global warming.

“It is of no importance what his name is,” She said coldly. “Not to us Seelies. Your heritage does not matter in the end, but your deed. You Nephilim would be wise to learn this.”

The Clave members from particularly old families seemed to shrink, and those who only had their positions due to their inherited nature shifted uncomfortably in their seats as she gazed around with distaste.

“The Shadowhunters always choose their own,” She said confidently. “That is the fact of the Downworld. I have seen it lifetime after lifetime, century after century. The Vampires and Warlocks see it the same, and the Lycanthropes, though technically mortal, still learn this all too well within one lifetime. But sometimes we forget. And Magnus had forgotten. I saw fit to remind him.” She twirled a strand of her hair in between her fingers and the table watched her, mesmerized. “I used the vines. A kiss, the kiss Alexander most desired, would free them. I knew, for certain, that he would choose his parabatai, the man he’d had feelings for since childhood. Magnus would learn, and he would join me.” The Seelie Queen smiled and dropped her hands to the table, leaning forward.

“But it was not Magnus who would learn anything new. That was not to be. Alexander Lightwood, without a moment’s hesitation, kissed Magnus Bane with a love I have rarely come across in all of my many eternities living on this plane, and on the others. And of course, the vines released him.”

The Clave sat in shock. Seelie magic may be manipulative, but it is always, always true. And Alec Lightwood loved a man, a _warlock_ , so much that despite their long term relationship, and thus opportunity for boredom, he still desired only him.

“Alexander Lightwood is the only Shadowhunter I have ever met to instantly and without careful consideration choose a Downworlder over their own. And for that reason, I trust him. He is the only Shadowhunter I believe just may change you.” She smiled as though they had just had a light chat about the weather, and sat back in her chair.

The Clave was floored, completely silent in their shock, for perhaps the first time since their founding. Imogen recovered first, looking at the next question.

“M… My Lady, what did Alexander Lightwood say to you regarding Downworlder and Shadowhunter relations?”

“I will quote him,” She said, settling down. She blinked, and suddenly Alec Lightwood stood next to her, a perfect holographic memory.

“Alexander Lightwood, you have chosen a Downworlder over your own kind, and you are the only one to do so. Why?” 

“I desire peace with the Downworld, and I love Magnus. To kiss him is my greatest joy, and to love him in my greatest privilege.” Alec’s voice was businesslike, straightforward. He said he loved Magnus as though it were a fact of life, a reality.

And perhaps that was the moment the Clave realized that it was.

“You say you desire peace with the Downworld, yet you conceal the loss of the Mortal Sword. Why?” Alec paused and looked disappointed, perhaps with her question, or himself, lips turning downwards.

 “It was wrong to conceal such a thing from the Downworld, My Lady,” He said simply. Clave members gripped their armrests in fury. “I found out about it only a day or so ago, myself. My upbringing as a Shadowhunter and the way that we are trained prevented me from coming immediately to the council with this. It does not excuse my actions. I was in the wrong. But I hope you can come to forgive me and be willing to work for peace throughout the Shadow World, starting in New York.” The Clave was furious, the blood rushing to most of their faces. How dare he undermine them so openly? In telling her these things, he was directly disobeying and discrediting the Clave. It was going to backfire.

“You are truly a strange Shadowhunter, Alexander Lightwood,” The Queen mused, a twinkle in her eye. “But you are also forgiven. I will begin to attend the Council meetings in person. From you I sense a genuine spirit I have not felt from a Shadowhunter in millennia.”

As the memory of Alec faded away, Imogen seemed to collect herself. The guards pulled their blades away from the Seelie Queen’s throat, and she settled into her seat more comfortably.

“We are extremely pleased that you have decided to work with us, My Lady –“

The Seelie Queen held up one finger. “No, Madame Inquisitor. You misunderstand. I am not working with the Clave.” Her eyes hardened. “I am working with Alexander Lightwood. And I always pick the winning side.”

\----------

As per usual, the contents of the Clave’s “top secret” meeting with the Seelie Queen did not remain secret for longer than 12 hours. The next day’s headlines screamed in bold lettering, LIGHTWOOD – SEELIE ALLIANCE SEPARATE FROM CLAVE DEALINGS: LIGHTWOOD TO VISIT IDRIS. People whispered about “That Lightwood Boy”. Every conversation Jaime had for weeks mentioned Alec in some way. The older generation scoffed and said his name with distaste, their lips curling in disgust, whispering how that was all to be expected from a _Lightwood_ , you know how that family is.

But the younger kids said his name with reverence, eyes shining bright with smiles on their faces. _Alec,_ their patron saint, the man who wasn’t afraid to be himself. He appealed to so many young Shadowhunters just getting their parabatai, just realizing the suffocating and hypocritical nature of the Clave, just realizing that they may be different from their parents and grandparents.

In the past, these self-realizations hadn’t mattered. They’d been stamped down and forgotten. But not anymore. Now, these kids had a role model in Alexander Lightwood. But it was just the beginning. Alec had remained mostly in the background, well known but not flaunting his social deviance. But that was about to change.

Alexander Lightwood arrived in Idris a celebrity. Heads leaned out the windows to peer at him as he walked down the street, people hung onto his every word, and he was sometimes swarmed by both groups of admirers and confronted by hateful protest from the especially conservative. Alexander Lightwood handled them all the same, with soft spoken words and gentle smiles, though his jaw remained set and immovable. This is not a man you fucked with.

With kids, Alec was awkward but great. He took as many photos as they wanted, he smiled brightly at them, listened when they spoke, and held his own. Basically, every kid in Idris that he spoke to fell in love almost instantaneously.

By the time he spoke to the Clave, they seemed to understand that he was a formidable opponent. Everything they had tried to do to stop or discredit him had failed. But the Seelie Queen had provided them with an opportunity, and they were going to take it.

“Ah, Mr. Lightwood. Thank you for joining us.” The Inquisitor’s smile was stretched thin. Alec smiled his gentle smile back, leaning back, relaxed, in his chair. “We called you here today to relieve you of your position as Head of the New York Institute.”

The officials around the table watched him with bated breath for a reaction, yet he gave none. He remained completely relaxed as he said “On what grounds?”

“You have directly discredited the Clave to the enemy, and this makes you unfit to be a representative of the Clave overseas, Mr. Lightwood,” Imogen said, her words clipped and angry.

“Ah, because of what I said to the Seelie Queen?” Alec seemed to understand now, yet he was still perfectly calm. Jaime frowned. Why would he not react at all?

“Yes, Mr. Lightwood. Because of what you said to the Seelie Queen.” He smiled, almost menacingly.

“I was not aware that the Seelie Queen was considered the enemy,” He said, dangerously quiet. “I suppose I will have to inform her that I can no longer continue our peace talks, as she is a designated enemy of the Clave,” He said, his voice sweet as poisoned honey. Imogen opened her mouth, once, twice, then finally said,

“The Seelie Queen is not a designated enemy of the Clave,” She said. “We maintain a neutral relationship.”

“Ah, I see.” Alec smiled and leaned back in his chair. “Then I have not broken any Clave decree in speaking to her in honesty. In fact, I believe the Clave has expressed desire to improve relations with the Downworld, and I have done that. So why doesn’t someone tell me the real reason I’ve been relieved of my command?”

The words hung in the air above the table, unspoken yet heard all the same. Alec brought his fingers together and leaned back, eyebrow raised, daring them to say it.

_It’s because you’re gay._

No one said anything. Clave members looked shamefully at their hands as Alec’s gaze roved around the room.

“Don't worry, I've heard it all already. I’m a big Shadowhunter. I can handle it.” The silence continued. Alec stood and sighed, brushing off his pants. “Well, that’s all the answer I needed, thank you. I’ll return to New York now, if you don’t mind. I recommend you wake up and realize that you are too rooted in the old ways or be left behind.”

And Alexander Lightwood walked right back out again, his sway over the New York Institute in no way weakened, the Clave lost and confused.

\----------

Alec’s next visit to Idris was easily ten times more chaotic. This time, he did not come for the Clave, he came to speak at a human rights function in the city square. The Clave had no idea how he’d gotten the opportunity, and were furious (though it was obvious to everyone that Alec was making real change that the Clave had failed to make for centuries.) Yet this time, he did not come alone.

He brought his boyfriend.

There were massive protests in Idris when news reached them that Magnus Bane would be attending the function alongside Alexander. There were some protestors who fought it due to their “lewd and unnatural relationship”, some who fought it because Magnus was “Downworlder scum” and should not be allowed in the capital, and some who fought it because they feared Alec’s growing influence and wanted to stop it.

Yet Magnus Bane still came and held hands with Alec as they walked up and down the Idrisian streets, Alec introducing him to the city. Kids hugged him around the knees and Alec was continually stopped by younger kids who wanted photos. Magnus just laughed and said,

“Wow! You really are popular here, darling!” Alec rolled his eyes.

“Only in some circles.”

Shadowhunter social media flooded with pictures of the two walking around town, pictures of them eating together, them kissing, them holding hands. #malecintown trended, and anonymous posts thanking them for their bravery flooded Jaime’s feed, along with a few hateful posts discussing all the ways that they were violating Shadowhunter rules and the laws of the universe.

Despite this, the response was mostly positive.

 

 **ALINE PENHALLOW** @alinepenhallow

So proud of these boys!!!! Look at them go, being happy!!!!!! I love u _@aleclightwood #malecintown_

**ALEC LIGHTWOOD** @aleclightwood 

thnks aline

 

 **ISABELLE LIGHTWOOD** @izzylightwood

so proud of my brother _@aleclightwood_!!! _#malecintown_ you guys are so brave keep being visible! Clary also sends her love and support as she doesn’t have an account yet!

 

 **JENNA BROWNFOREST** @jenbrownforest

ok but can we talk about how inspirational Alexander Lightwood and his bf are? In this day and age? They’re honestly so amazing and I feel so validated and this is why representation matters guys things can and will change! _@aleclightwood_ _#malecintown #pride_

 

 **ALEC LIGHTWOOD** @aleclightwood

Big speech tonight! Hope you all can come to Idris Town Square @ 4:00pm today to talk about LGBT rights in the Shadow World. Downworlder Relations Panel Tomorrow @ 2:00 w/ _@magnusbane @seeliequeenofficial @luciangreymark_ and _@rafaelofdumort_ !

 

 **MAGNUS BANE** @magnusbane

  _#malecintown_ y’all I can’t believe im in Idris??? The Shadowhunter capital??? Its so pretty and (most of you) are rlly nice?? I cant asddsfbjn _@aleclightwood_ how did this happen

 

 **ALEC LIGHTWOOD** @aleclightwood

Better to ask forgiveness than permission. _#malecintown_

 

 **ALINE PENHALLOW** @alinepenhallow 

“better to ask forgiveness than permission” whAT AN ICON

 

 **THOMAS GOODWIN** @tomgoodwin

I’d like to publicly support _@aleclightwood_ and _@magnusbane_ : what they’re doing is honorable and it’s damn time for a change. I applaud you guys _#malecintown_

**IDRIS UNITED** @idrisunited

 _@aleclightwood_ to speak Saturday at 4pm at annual Idris United Human Rights Conference regarding LGBT visibility in Shadowhunter society: “I don’t think we talk about it, and that’s maybe the biggest problem.” 1/2

 

 **IDRIS UNITED** @idrisunited

Downworlder Leaders from New York visiting for the annual Idris United Human Rights Conference as a part of _@aleclightwood_ ‘s continued efforts to improve Shadowhunter – Downworlder relations. They will speak on Sunday at 2pm. 2/2

**_IDRIS UNITED_ ** _@idrisunited retweeted **LUCIAN GREYMARK** @luciangreymark ‘s post:_

 

 **LUCIAN GREYMARK** @luciangreymark

here’s to hoping the @idrisunited human rights conference is a new beginning in Downworlder-Shadowhunter relations!

\----------

Alec’s speech went well before it even began. People clogged the streets wearing glitter and holding pride flags in support, chanting Alec’s name and drowning out the few protestors in the vicinity. A pair of girls kissed, and one of their parents screamed, and the girl, her eyes bright and shining with love for the other, just said:

“Enough.”

Alec’s last word to his mother before his essential disownment had become a slogan, a message. It gave voice to a cause. A few people chanted it instead of Alec’s name, and it was printed on t-shirts and painted on bare skin of arms, and even graffitied on the side of the Clave’s meeting chambers. The Clave watched on in horror. It wasn’t just one man who was out of hand: The oppressed of all ages were coming out, banding together. Alec was the spark that had lit the fuse of a bomb the Clave had been sitting on all along.

And they couldn’t put it out now, it had already exploded, painting the once black and white city of Idris with every color of the rainbow whether they liked it or not.

And then Alec got up to speak.

He spoke about healthy relationships, normalization, representation, individuality (“Can you all please not just call Magnus my boyfriend? He’s also the High Warlock of Brooklyn and is amazing even without me.”) safety, community, and tolerance. The Clave watched as people cried, moved by his words and his passion for them. Even one or two protestors who had not really known why they were protesting put down their signs to listen.

“Our relationship with the Downworld is similar to our relationship with the LGBT community in our midst,” Alec said. “Those who are more powerful assume they are better. But they aren’t. I’m not better than Magnus just because traces of angel blood run in my veins as opposed to demon blood. We can’t keep demonizing the Downworlders. We are all different from each other and that’s okay. But blood should not tear us apart. If we let blood tear us apart, if we use it to make ourselves better than others, then we are, simply put, racist. We have always been racist. That needs to change. And our acceptance of ourselves as a race is important too. I like men. I also like hunting. I’m still a Shadowhunter. Who I kiss changes nothing of who I am, the fact that I kiss men is only a small part of me.”

Alec’s words rang through the courtyard, and that was the moment that Jaime truly began to idolize Alexander Lightwood, and 3 months later he applied to transfer to New York as a Clave envoy.

The Clave were more than willing to send a trustworthy man of noble blood to keep an eye on that deviant Lightwood boy.

\----------

“Hi, I’m Jaime Whitelaw, envoy from the Clave.”

“I’m Alexander Lightwood, Head if the New York Institute.” They shook hands. Alec raised an eyebrow. “Be up front with me, Whitelaw. How much do I have to worry about you getting in my way on behalf of the Clave?”

“Not at all, really.” Alec looked a bit distrustful, but Jaime doesn’t blame him. “No, really. I admire your continued bravery and your skill in Downworlder-Shadowhunter relations. It is my intention to learn how you are working with the Downworld in New York so I can begin to help apply it to other Institutes. Hopefully Downworlder-Shadowhunter relations can begin to improve globally in that way.”

Alec looked very surprised, yet mollified.

“In that case, I look forward to working with you.”

\----------

Three years later, Jaime Whitelaw was elected Inquisitor of the Clave through the first vote of the people. He continued to work with Alexander Lightwood. He eventually grew old and retired, and many, many years later people would ask him about Alexander Lightwood. He would smile and say,

“Alec was an inspiration. Really, truly, an inspiration. The bravest man I ever met in my life, and with a life as long as mine, that is saying something great.” He would nod at them, his eyes flashing.

On the night Jaime Whitelaw died, Magnus Bane was there, looking young as ever. Alec had been gone many years, and the grief still hung from Magnus’s frame, weighing him down as though he was wearing a coat made of lead.

Jaime smiled as he sat down next to him. They were outside on Jaime’s porch, the sun just beginning to set, and they told stories of Alec, the first gay Shadowhunter, the man who began a cultural revolution. Alec, the man who loved despite the potential for loss, the man who became a legend.

The sun smiled against the horizon and the sky darkened as Jaime Whitelaw slipped away.


End file.
